We perform numerical experiments on supernova-driven turbulent flows in order to see whether or not supernovae playa major role in driving turbulence in the interstellar medium. In a (200pc)3 computational box, we set up, as initial conditions, uniformly magnetized gas distributions with different pairs of hydrogen number densities and magnetic field strengths, which cover the observed values in the Galactic midplane. We then explode supernovae at randomly chosen positions at a Galactic explosion rate and follow up the evolution of the supernova-driven turbulent flows by integrating numerically the ideal MHD equations with cooling and heating terms. From the numerical experiments we find that the density-weighted velocity dispersions of the flows are in the range of 5-10 km s-l, which are consistent with the observed velocity dispersions of cold and warm neutral media. Additionally, we find that strong compressible flows driven by supernova explosions quickly change into solenoidal flows.

• JONGSOO KIM(Korea Astronomy Observatory)